The United States Capitol Building, one of the most iconic buildings in the country, is undergoing a 3 year long, $100 million restoration, set to complete before the inauguration of the next US President. Built roughly 150 years ago, the building has not been restored since 1960, more than 50 years ago. This is particularly problematic for a structure built largely out of cast iron, which is highly susceptible to cracking and rust. Unsurprisingly, these deficiencies have reeked a little bit of havoc on the interior of the building, which causes some fear with all of the priceless sculptures and artwork inside.
Greg Sizemore, President of Sizemore & Company and Executive Vice President of the Construction Users Roundtable (CURT), was recently able to visit the restoration site and has graciously allowed us to share his pictures. In them you’ll see hundreds of cast iron ornamental pieces that have been removed from the structure, with some of them weighing hundreds of pounds apiece. Another view shows the extensive scaffolding work and then a view from the roof of the Capitol building overlooking an extremely scenic Washington DC.
For an overview of the entire restoration, check out the video below:
You can view project updates throughout the restoration by visiting the Architect of the Capitol’s website here.
Dome Restoration Project Overview | Architect of the Capitol
